Notebook

"Chaos" in California

The Los Angeles Times is reporting today on the Schwarzenegger administration’s rush to begin background checks for home health workers for the elderly and disabled – the plan is for those checks to begin next week. But, as the Times reports, social service chiefs from around the state are not ready to begin the time-consuming application process. This delay could mean that some patients go without care.On another note…
CNNMoney.com has a valuable piece today answering the question of “When is a good time to invest in my 401(k)?” That answer: a resounding NOW! Walter Updegrave, Money Magazine senior editor, says in the story that “regardless of what’s going on in the economy and the financial markets at any given moment,” we should always, always be contributing to our 401(k). He points out that we cannot predict when the economy will be up, when it will be down, or anything else about it for that matter – so it makes sense that the only way to build up a large enough nest egg is to regularly be investing in this varying economy. And hey – could it be easier to invest in a 401(k)? Convenient payroll deductions mean there’s no excuse to be contributing throughout your career.Following up on yesterday’s news…
The Chicago Tribune is reporting again on the compromised care in Illinois nursing homes. The new development is that half of Illinois’ best nursing homes have now been cited for improper use of psychotropic drugs since 2001. Check out the story for the alarming details.